The Senate will constitute special and standing committees before the end of July, the new Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said.
Mr Bamidele said this on Tuesday while briefing journalists after he emerged as the senate leader.
He said that with the emergence of the majority and minority caucuses which make up the principal officers, they would hit the ground running.
He said, “Before long, during the month of July, we will have all the committees, special and standing committees, properly constituted.
“For us, the next task is to ensure we hit the ground running so that from tomorrow, we are able to take steps that will show that we have a clear understanding of what is to be done.
“The first task ahead of us is to constitute special committees of the 10th Senate. Our rules make provision for six special committees.
“This is so that every senator can get busy based on their own professional background and can properly fit into the sector where they can add value.
“We are ready to attend to correspondence from the executive. Through the committee of the whole of the house, we will commence with the confirmation hearing of the service chiefs and some other appointees who had been named by the President.”
He assured that as the new leadership had emerged, it would ensure that seriousness was attached to all legislative assignments.
“By the grace of God, we will be able to make a difference that will be positive, and that will be worth the effort of all of you that worked with us in ensuring that the two presiding officers emerged in a manner that was not rancorous.
“But of course, the emergence of the remaining principal officers of the 10th Senate was not an issue that was meant to be decided on the floor.
“Rather, it was an issue which, on the one hand, as related to the All Progressives Party (APC), needed to be decided among the critical stakeholders of the party. This was what led to the emergence of the officers.
“On the other hand, with respect to the minority parties, again, it wasn’t entirely a party affair because it wasn’t a typical situation where you have one opposition party but rather six political parties were involved.
“Fifty of our colleagues were involved. So rather than it being a decision to be taken at the secretariat of political parties, it was more of a decision taken by members elected on the platform of the six minority parties.
“Thirty eight of them, by virtue of their signature, took a decision as to who their leaders will be, and of course, this was also communicated to their respective political parties, and as democrats, all the presiding officers did was to follow suit because more than a single majority had decided.”
Mr Bamidele added that it had been a no victor, no vanquish situation adding that “we are happy eventually a leadership has emerged for the 10th Senate.”
Source : Premium Times
